No polls sans Khaleda's release: BNP

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Staff Reporter :The BNP on Monday passed opinion that no general election in the country would be acceptable to people without Khaleda Zia in the election as a free woman."We like to say clearly that the election will never be acceptable to people if Khaleda Zia remains in jail," said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while addressing a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital as part of the countrywide programme demanding unconditional release of Khaleda Zia. The party leaders alleged that at least 200 leaders and activists of the party were arrested during the human chain programme.The one-hour programme began around 11:00am and concluded at noon.Hundreds of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate organisations started to assemble at the venue before the scheduled time of human chain.They carried different banners and placards and chanted slogans demanding party chief's release and protesting the government's activities. Although the programme was supposed to be a human chain, it got into a big rally amid the presence of numbers of leaders and activists. One side of the road in front of the Press Club was blocked by the protesters.The human chain led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was addressed, among others, by Standing Committee Members Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr.Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan and BNP-led alliance leaders Dr.Fariduzzaman Farhad of NPP and Mustafizur Rahman Iran of Bangladesh Labour Party.Mirza Fakhrul said, "The government must release our party chief from jail. If they do it, we will understand they want an acceptable election."The BNP leader said, the days of the current government are numbered and the government must go as people are not with it. Mirza Fakhrul urged all political parties to build a national unity against the government.He said that Khaleda Zia, before going to jail, called for a national unity to force the government to hold an inclusive election. "A strong national unity is now very essential. It is time for stronger unity. We have to build unity among all political parties and people to establish a pro-people government and restore democracy and human rights by removing the current unpopular government," he said.Mirza Fakhrul demanded the Hasina administration's exit before the schedule for the next general election, the dissolution of Parliament holding the election under a neutral and non-party government. The BNP leader called to reconstitute the Election Commission and the deployment of army to make the election free and fair and inclusive. BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, Khladeda Zia has been kept in prison in a false case. "She is seriously ill. The government is dilly-dallying in arranging special treatment for her Dr. Mosharraf said. He said, the BNP Chairperson has not been released even after getting bail.The other leaders of the party also demanded Khaleda's immediate release from jail. They also vowed to organize massive agitation to make her free.